New Delhi: The rescue of a 16-year old girl from the clutches of a placement agency has opened the can of child trafficking going on in the capital in the veil of placement agencies. The crime branch of Delhi police on Tuesday rescued two minors trafficked from Assam and West Bengal by placement agents.

The Delhi police arrested an agent along with the owner of the placement agency trying to sell the minor. Other than the minor, eight teenaged children have also been rescued from the group. During the investigation it was found that the placement agency was being run illegally. The husband of the apprehended woman, who owns the illegal agency, is also on the run.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ashok Chand, the crime branch received information about a dealer trying to sell off a 16-year-old Assamese girl. On receiving this information, the police set up a trap and a fake customer contacted the dealer named Ismail. The former closed the deal at Rs 1.5 lakh with Ismail.

“After fixing the deal a time and place was fixed with Ismail and then a team under the supervision of Additional Deputy Commissioner Kushwaha reached JJ colony in Shakarpur from where the girl was rescued and Ismail apprehended,” said DCP (Crime) Ashok Chand.

On interrogation, Ismail divulged information about the placement agency, Babita Enterprise, run by a lady named Babita. The police, thereupon, raided the agency and arrested Babita.

After her arrest, Babita was interrogated and it was found that the girls, who were bought from brokers, were used for household activities, added the DCP.

With the help of NGO Shakti Vahini, six girls and two boys were also rescued from different parts of the city. According to the DCP, all the trafficked girls and boys hail from West Bengal, Assam and India-Bangladesh border.

The broker used to lure the kids by promising them good education and bright future with a handsome salary and bring them to the capital. On reaching Delhi, these kids were sold to the placement agency at a commission ranging from Rs 20 to 25,000 per child.